Chapter 381: Not ready
"So I take it you’re willing to conduct the trade now," said Flintlock when he appeared in Nero’s dream that night. "Did you check intel prices?"
"Yes, I did," responded Nero calmly, his mind still occupied by the time he had spent in the Unity Network. That place was a goldmine of knowledge, not just intel, and Nero already knew what he was going to use his merit on. After all, if he could not use the network while in KMA, they were of no use to him, so it would be better if instead he utilized them for his current needs.
"I also looked up the value of Vitracil, and the value of all bits of intel relating to Vanessa that I plan on sharing today, so I know the exact value of the intel I’m sharing with you."
Flintlock nodded, as if it was as he expected.
"Can we get this done already? I have better things to do than visit your dreams everyday," he said.
"Sure. If you already know about Vitracil, then you should also know about what it’s used for. Vanessa used it for a full baptism while still a Neophyte, although I am bound to secrecy on certain matters so I cannot reveal how or where. What I can tell you is that she also visited Lumina in disguise. Who helped her in, and who helped her out are things that I do not know about, and it seems to me like she had a bountiful harvest inside."
"Lumina..." Flintlock murmured, his gaze losing focus as his mind wandered. Although Nero did not state where she got Vitracil, his words seemed to insinuate that it may have something to do with Lumina. Whether that was the case or not, it was not for him to determine. He just needed the merits from this intel.
"I can also tell you that any gains she may have had from Lumina, or anywhere else, were only personal goals and gains. Her true objective seemed to be something else. It seems she played a significant role in finalising some deals between Kolar and Nova," said Nero, finalising his report.
In truth, this was far from all he could reveal about Vanessa. There were things he could reveal that only he knew, such as how to detect her innate ability, her combat habits, and her preferred strategies. In fact, Vanessa herself had allowed Nero to share those things, yet Nero refrained.
While the things he had shared seemed like bigger secrets, they would be revealed sooner or later. Instead, those other, more specific secrets would do her more harm long term. There was also the fact that Nero knew exactly how many merits he needed, and how many he would get from this intel. There was no need to be excessively greedy. This was more than sufficient.
"Is that it?" Flintlock asked, sounding unsatisfied. In truth, even this was valuable information for anyone who needed it, but naturally Flintlock wanted as much as possible. The resources he needed weren’t cheap.
"Yes, that’s it," Nero responded normally. "There are many things I cannot reveal even if I want to. At the same time, there are things I can reveal, but don’t wish to."
Flintlock chuckled.
"Ah Nero, no need to be so adorable," he said, though the meaning of the words did not match his intentions. "We may need to work together in the future. Wouldn’t it be better to have a solid relationship for that? Why not do your future self a favour?"
Instead of answering his question, Nero asked him another one.
"How does one redeem resources? Let’s say I want to buy some of the resources available to me. How will I get them without compromising my identity?" he asked.
Flintlock sighed, before finally answering once he was done shaking his head.
"There are multiple ways. One way is to go to one of the six bases in disguise, redeem it there, and leave. You can also have them delivered to certain locations and claim them from there. You can send them to intermediaries, and then collect it from them using a password. Honestly, there are many ways, and they all depend on you.
"If you have nothing else to share, then I will pay you 50% of the cost, as we agreed, and be on my way. By the way, as a gesture of good will, I’ll give you a piece of information for free. A certain Irene Grant re-entered Kolari territory a few days ago, and has returned to the army. The details of how she returned are not privy to me, so if you’re interested, you can look into it yourself."